Compliance: Comply with insurance mandates to perform annual infrared inspections, while also complying with the regulations imposed by NFPA 70E and CSA Z462. The de-risked work process of using an IR Window eliminates the high-risk tasks (opening the enclosures) associated with typical infrared inspections. As a result elevated levels of PPE are not required, and complying with the standards is automatic.

Inspect the Un-Inspectable: After completing arc flash surveys / incident energy analyses, many facilities discover that some percentage of their equipment has extraordinary incident energy levels (per ANSI/IEEE 1584 or similar calculations). Such equipment receives a "Dangerous" label, and becomes off limits to thermographers. IR windows allow the thermographers to still survey desired targets in "Dangerous equipment" (through the IR window) while equipment remains closed and guarded in compliance with standards like NFPA 70E and CSA Z462.

Ease of Inspection: Imagine the benefits of monitoring hyper-critical applications and "bad actors" more frequently using IR windows. In just a few minutes, without requiring elaborate PPE or work processes, thermographers will troubleshoot and inspect critical electrical equipment through the specially designed IR window optic, thereby eliminating inherently risky and time-consuming tasks. The ease of inspection provides facilities with the latitude to inspect more frequently to ensure maximum facility up time.

Data Quality: Industry best-practices and standards (including NFPA 70B) note that IR scans must be performed when conductors are fully loaded (or as close as possible). Yet on inspection day(s) it is quite common that at least some percentage of equipment is unloaded or lightly loaded. Consequently, data is gathered and analyzed under conditions that could easily yield false-negative results. The ease, safety and speed of inspecting through an IR window means that thermographers can schedule inspections on days and hours when equipment is "running all out" – the best time to gather data.

Another factor to consider is that open-panel inspections, by their nature, introduce the possibility of many variables for reflected energy (off highly reflective metallic components. Less experienced thermographers could easily misinterpret theses these reflections from hot or cold elements in the background, resulting in false-positive and false-negative reports. Because the closed doors and panels of the enclosure are a relatively uniform ambient temperature, actual differences in temperature are more easily identified.

De-Risked Work Process: Open-panel inspections are, by their nature, high risk because they introduce a host of potential variables: stirring dust, agitating a conductor or misplaced tool, scaring a rodent, possibly dropping parts into the enclosure, etc. Infrared windows maintain an enclosed and guarded state (per the standards) and remove the high-risk work tasks, thereby reducing the risk of performing thermography through an IR window. The new closed-panel work task does not expose personnel to energized conductors, and is not a task that could trigger an arc. As such, using an IR window is similar to looking in a visual inspection window {Link visual inspection window to our page for same}, reading a panel meter, or simply walking past the same equipment. Facility managers can take comfort in knowing that the new closed-panel is de-risking their inspection process. No longer does an IR inspection represent a threat of a catastrophic outage.

Why Polymer? Exiscan^TM designed it’s IR windows for the industrial electrical market. With this in mind, traditional laboratory crystals were not an option.  After extensive testing and research, we saw that only polymer satisfies the most important demands of the industrial market:

• Durability: Industrial electrical equipment requires impact resistant optics
• Longevity: Transmission characteristics must be resistant to humidity, moisture, chemicals
• Accuracy: Accurate Temperatures and ΔTs require an optic that transmits the entire LWIR spectrum
• Large Field of View: Larger, square windows allow Thermographers to evaluate more with less
• Value: Closed-panel inspection is safe and efficient, but industry requires affordable solutions

XIR Infrared Windows with patent-pending polymer infrared optic is uniquely suited for industrial and facilities maintenance environments: Built like a tank, resilient and warranted for life, accurate and compatible with all models of cameras, big enough to see it all with fewer windows, yet surprisingly affordable.

Exiscan^TM won’t compromise on safety, accuracy or usability. That’s why we over-engineer our design and only use industrial-grade materials - like polymer, aluminum and stainless steel.